Lyons: 20 surprise guests strain Salvation Army-police arrangement

Published: Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 10:22 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 10:22 p.m.

Part of the Salvation Army complex on north Sarasota’s 10th Street is a bit like a jail.

Not in a bad way. The area that serves as a homeless shelter does not have bars, and people who come for the night to avoid sleeping outdoors aren’t locked in. But security is important.

Anyone who leaves is locked out for the night. And, the center of the building has a circular control room with thick glass windows and numerous security camera monitors.

That’s good, because late at night there is often just one employee watching everyone in the place, including, typically, about 25 people just in off the street.

Rules are strict, order is key, and bedtime is early. No one’s allowed to enter after 9 p.m., with one exception: When cops sometimes show up with one or two homeless people found sleeping in a park or the like.

To help the city avoid needless and costly arrests when homeless sleepers are evicted from their secret sleeping spots, the Salvation Army has long agreed to accept them after hours, though it can be disruptive.

With no hint of planning, police had moved 20 people from a sidewalk along nearby Florida Avenue. Homeless people had been sleeping there for a couple of weeks, after police encouraged them to move from the more public Central Avenue sidewalk a block east.

Sidewalk campers had been visited numerous times by police on Florida Avenue. Homeless people I had talked to said police were being nice and word was that, for the time being, homeless people who didn’t cause problems would be left alone on that little-noticed side street.

But by Sarasota ordinance, sleeping in any public place with possessions nearby is “illegal lodging.” And after a complaint to city hall was passed to police, some officers decided to take action. Right away.

With no call to the Salvation Army and no warning to the soon-to-be-rousted people, tolerance of the camp-like scene on Florida Avenue was revoked at 2 a.m. as police moved in.

Salvation Army center director Bryan Pope, though trying not to step on toes, said he was amazed things were done that way. He said his solo night duty man wasn’t sure what to do when police showed up with that crowd.

The man rightly followed the standing instructions: “When in doubt, err on the side of mercy.” The 20 were let in, and put on the floor of a covered patio, so they wouldn’t go to jail.

But Pope said he will change his orders now. Things can’t work that way.

I felt sure it wasn’t, given the new chief’s assurances that she wants to work with homeless advocates and others to solve problems. Her aim is not to harass people in that area, she had told me a few days earlier.

“The ones who aren’t causing any harm shouldn’t be impacted,” DiPino had said.

But when I asked her about the surprise 2 a.m sweep this week, DiPino didn’t see a contradiction.

She said she learned of the event after the fact, and even then didn’t know how many homeless people were involved. She thought it was six or seven.

I expected her to say “This should have been planned better. The Salvation Army is a good partner and we should have let them know what we were doing. The last thing needed was secrecy.”

But DiPino said she thought it was good police work.

Her officers responded to a complaint, saw illegal sleeping, and acted accordingly, she said. Humanely, too, since the 20 were not arrested but taken to shelter.

“Tell me what we did wrong?” DiPino challenged.

I explained that most of those sidewalk dwellers had been there for two weeks and there was plenty of time to give a them a heads up and especially to tell the Salvation Army staff.

The chief didn’t see an issue with what her officers did.

“I think they did a great job here,” and, she said, she had not heard any complaint from the Salvation Army director.

I gave up, but did tell her she might want to know one thing Pope had told me about his night duty man who had cooperated with the police:

<p>Part of the Salvation Army complex on north Sarasota's 10th Street is a bit like a jail.</p><p>Not in a bad way. The area that serves as a homeless shelter does not have bars, and people who come for the night to avoid sleeping outdoors aren't locked in. But security is important.</p><p>Anyone who leaves is locked out for the night. And, the center of the building has a circular control room with thick glass windows and numerous security camera monitors.</p><p>That's good, because late at night there is often just one employee watching everyone in the place, including, typically, about 25 people just in off the street.</p><p>Rules are strict, order is key, and bedtime is early. No one's allowed to enter after 9 p.m., with one exception: When cops sometimes show up with one or two homeless people found sleeping in a park or the like.</p><p>To help the city avoid needless and costly arrests when homeless sleepers are evicted from their secret sleeping spots, the Salvation Army has long agreed to accept them after hours, though it can be disruptive.</p><p>But imagine the reaction Tuesday morning when Sarasota Police arrived, unannounced, at 2 a.m. with 20 homeless people.</p><p>With no hint of planning, police had moved 20 people from a sidewalk along nearby Florida Avenue. Homeless people had been sleeping there for a couple of weeks, after police encouraged them to move from the more public Central Avenue sidewalk a block east.</p><p>Sidewalk campers had been visited numerous times by police on Florida Avenue. Homeless people I had talked to said police were being nice and word was that, for the time being, homeless people who didn't cause problems would be left alone on that little-noticed side street.</p><p>But by Sarasota ordinance, sleeping in any public place with possessions nearby is “illegal lodging.” And after a complaint to city hall was passed to police, some officers decided to take action. Right away.</p><p>With no call to the Salvation Army and no warning to the soon-to-be-rousted people, tolerance of the camp-like scene on Florida Avenue was revoked at 2 a.m. as police moved in.</p><p>Salvation Army center director Bryan Pope, though trying not to step on toes, said he was amazed things were done that way. He said his solo night duty man wasn't sure what to do when police showed up with that crowd.</p><p>The man rightly followed the standing instructions: “When in doubt, err on the side of mercy.” The 20 were let in, and put on the floor of a covered patio, so they wouldn't go to jail.</p><p>But Pope said he will change his orders now. Things can't work that way.</p><p>So, is this really Police Chief Bernadette DiPino's idea of constructively tackling homeless issues?</p><p>I felt sure it wasn't, given the new chief's assurances that she wants to work with homeless advocates and others to solve problems. Her aim is not to harass people in that area, she had told me a few days earlier.</p><p>“The ones who aren't causing any harm shouldn't be impacted,” DiPino had said.</p><p>But when I asked her about the surprise 2 a.m sweep this week, DiPino didn't see a contradiction.</p><p>She said she learned of the event after the fact, and even then didn't know how many homeless people were involved. She thought it was six or seven.</p><p>I expected her to say “This should have been planned better. The Salvation Army is a good partner and we should have let them know what we were doing. The last thing needed was secrecy.”</p><p>But DiPino said she thought it was good police work. </p><p>Her officers responded to a complaint, saw illegal sleeping, and acted accordingly, she said. Humanely, too, since the 20 were not arrested but taken to shelter.</p><p>“Tell me what we did wrong?” DiPino challenged.</p><p>I explained that most of those sidewalk dwellers had been there for two weeks and there was plenty of time to give a them a heads up and especially to tell the Salvation Army staff.</p><p>The chief didn't see an issue with what her officers did.</p><p>“I think they did a great job here,” and, she said, she had not heard any complaint from the Salvation Army director.</p><p>I gave up, but did tell her she might want to know one thing Pope had told me about his night duty man who had cooperated with the police:</p><p>“Tonight,” Pope said, “he will have different instructions.”</p>